Kevin Joseph Aje
Kevin Joseph Aje (born 25 April 1934) served as the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto from 1985 to 2011.
Early life and education
Bishop Kevin J. Aje was born on 25 April 1934 in Amper District in Pankshin Division (now: Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau state). Aje received his elementary education in Amper, Pankshin, Kwa and Shendam respectively. After his elementary education, he trained as a local teacher and practiced for a year before proceeding to study for the Catholic Priesthood. Aje studied for his Secondary School Certificate in St. Theresa’s Minor Seminary, Oke-Are, Ibadan.
Priesthood
Aje further studied Philosophy and Theology in the prestigious Saints Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan. On completion of his formation, Rev. Kevin Aje was ordained a Catholic Priest on June 12, 1966 in Jos, by Bishop Reddington, SMA for the Diocese of Jos.
As a priest, Rev Fr. Kevin Aje served as the Education Secretary of the Diocese of Jos, Coordinator of Justice and Peace and the Diocesan Secretary. In the Civil Society, he served as a member of the Plateau State Education Board and Plateau State Scholarship Board. In 1977 to 1983, he also served as a member of the Plateau State Teachers Service Commission.
Episcopate
In 1977, Kevin was appointed the Cathedral Administrator of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Cathedral, Jos. In 1982, he was elected as the Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto. Rev. Fr. Kelvin J. Aje was ordained to the episcopate by His Holiness Pope John Paul II (Saint John Paul II) on January 6, 1983 in Rome to succeed Bishop Michael James Dempsey OP. He was officially installed the Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto on April 28, 1985; thus becoming the third Bishop and first indigenous African Bishop of Sokoto Diocese.[1]
Retirement
Bishop Kelvin J. Aje has served as the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto for twenty six (26) years before his retirement in 2011. During his Episcopacy, Most Rev. Dr. Kelvin Aje served as the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Sokoto State Chapter for 10 years. On September 8, 2011, Most Rev. Dr. Kelvin J. Aje was succeeded by Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah (former Msgr. Kukah).[2]
References
- ↑ "Former Bishops | Catholic Diocese of Sokoto". catholicdiocese-sokoto.org. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
- ↑ "Bishop Mathew Kukah | Catholic Diocese of Sokoto". catholicdiocese-sokoto.org. Retrieved 2016-11-15.